Jamie Welsh is the founder and CEO of the company and agreed to chat with us about what her company does and why it is important to be socially responsible.

What is the benefit of being “certified” as being socially responsible to businesses, especially ones that may be struggling just to make payroll right now? Are there real quantifiable benefits, or is it mostly just the value of being a good part of society?

There are several ROI factors and cost savings to consider when looking at being a certified company.
• Consumers - Research shows that when consumers are given a choice between two like products or services, they consistently choose the one that demonstrates and highlights a social return on investment (SROI) strategy. Consumers make socially conscious purchases by choosing to do business with companies that recognize the importance of transparency and sustainability. Consumers are also looking for 3rd party validation/certification of efforts that companies are taking to be more sustainable.
• Cost savings - Companies see the most immediate cost reduction through the green efforts that they incorporate. There are many ways to engage: from savings through office greening techniques (lighting adjustments, low flow water options, network power augmentation or reduction, HVAC improvements, waste management reduction) to green certifications designed for efficiency and cost saving (Energy Star, LEEDS). There are also options to reduce out of pocket expenses for employees and companies (ride share programs, shorten work weeks, work at home programs).
• ROI - A strategic social responsibility program can also have a direct impact on ROI. By tracking, monitoring and reporting on social efforts companies can quantify and show measurable results from social responsibility programs and initiatives.

Social responsibility - especially in an online / Web 2.0 world - seems to expand well beyond the three areas that are listed on your quiz on the website. How did you pick those three and what are some of the other ideals that a socially responsible company should aspire to?

Social responsibility is a wide and varied topic. 10% Solution focuses on the three key drivers that are part of the core principles of social responsibility. Drivers that can be meaningfully measured, ones with a high impact on the company both internally and externally and ones that can be implemented and integrated in to day-to-day operational practices.

On a personal / individual level it seems that less well off Individuals tend to donate more than those who are well off, does this trend extend to the corporate world as well?

The divide is not necessarily along the lines of better performance, but along the lines of maturity. As a company grows a comprehensive philanthropic strategy is part of a good overall business strategy. However, we do find that younger companies tend to give at higher percentages than more mature companies. This is often due to a desire of these organizations to build a meaningful bridge within their community and get closer to their customers.

Smaller organizations are often the early adopters of sustainable practices because they have the flexibility to enact change and standards quickly. Every start-up could be the next Google and if they can enact a meaningful and transparent practice when they are a young organization (i.e. 10% certification) then it makes the whole marketplace stronger as they grow.

Our company is not in a position to donate “cash” to improve our community, but is a strong advocate of encouraging our employees to donate their talent on their own time, additionally, as well as a company we donate our downtime to help community groups. What ideas can you offer to encourage other businesses to do the same and are there any good resources online where organizations can request assistance like this?

The difference between “cash” and “donating time” is an important point, as many organizations convert time to dollars. Yes, volunteering has a quantifiable value, however, you must look at this strategically. Volunteering is one piece of the overall equation and should be substituted for philanthropic efforts. Volunteerism should be strategically aligned with philanthropy and sustainability. However, they each serve a distinct, yet complimentary, function.

In these tough economic times how can organization do good with maximum impact? Studies show that the impact on those observing others do good works, is the same as those actually performing the service. One key opportunity is for senior management to lead by example. Management can take the leadership role and organize a company volunteer effort. They can lead by example and organize a matching Dollar Drive to assist those in need within their community.

In terms of resources, there are many available, go to www.10percentsolution.com and contact us.

What are some examples of companies that you have helped become more socially responsible?

We have 10 certified companies and are currently working with several more. We are also in the process of building several case studies around the overall impact of being a certified company.
A key point of a successful strategy is having the ability to break down the silos between, philanthropy, volunteerism and green sustainability. As a unit they are then brought under one strategic umbrella to create an organizational entity that not only drives cost savings, but can also increase revenue, support innovation and create operational efficiencies.

What was the reaction from the boards or investors? Did they eventually agree with the transition or what happened?

We typically are working with CEO’s and thus far have had no push back from boards or investors.

The SES Chicago will be held at the Chicago Hilton, Dec. 8-11.

There are a variety of ticket packages including the full four day pass for $1,795 ($1,995 after Nov. 21), One-Day for $745 ($895 after Nov. 21) and a half-day SEM Training for $745. Also, if you are just interested in checking out what tools and companies are out there that can help you, there is an Expo Only Pass that is free in advance, but $50 on-site.

Some of the conference sessions that sound particularly exciting include:

Social Responsibility in a 2.0 World
The Web has changed how we do everything, including giving back to our fellow man. What does the nonprofit world look like in the Web 2.0 world? Technology has grown by leaps and bounds since the dawn of the Internet as a communication vehicle. It has changed the ways we give back and communicate with our constituents, and new platforms support entire communities. Learn from experts about the latest developments in community and technology for the non-profit sector.

Later in the week another session that will be of particular interest to web developers as well as business owners is:

Usability & SEO: Two Wins for the Price of One
Build a user-friendly site and chances are you’ve also built a search engine friendly site. Learn how good usability can help your human visitors plus bring in the search traffic.

This usability vs SEO is an issue that I tend to come across on a daily basis when some less experienced optimizers tend to pack header tags and other tricks, forgetting that the primary consumer of the information on your site is the end user.

Ultimately, many of these other areas are why our company likes to focus on Internet Marketing AND PR - because the two are so closely entwined in today’s marketplace.

1. Email
2. Via your website’s press or news section
3. Newswire
4. Web Form
5. Social Media (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
6. Social Bookmark Sites (Digg, Propeller, Delicious, etc.)
7. Fax
8. Mail
9. Phone
10. Stunt, Courier, Gift

What are some other methods for distributing a press release that you have used?

1. Is it News?
2. What do I want to accomplish?
3. Who do I want to see the news – primary and secondary audiences
4. How do I want to distribute it?
5. Is the news time sensitive?

Is it News?

This is the most important question to ask before writing a press release. Not everything is worthy of telling the media about – others simply don’t need to be formally presented as a press release. Also, what is news to one publication isn’t news to others.

For example, a press release about the hiring of a new VP of Sales probably isn’t newsworthy to Suburban Nitelife, but it would be to the Business Ledger and the business editors at Courier News and Daily Herald.

What do I want to Accomplish?

A press release isn’t a magical tool that can do everything in one page of text. Each press release should have a specific goal and a specific media target. For instance, when we promote festivals like Duckapalooza this past weekend, we created the following:

Long Lead Press Release

Targeted to general area media – it was specifically designed for event calendars and assignment editors. This was distributed about a month before the event. To be included in event calendars, you must distribute your news a minimum of 30 days prior to the event.

Business Media Press Release

Promoting our involvement with creating the website and PR for the event. This was distributed to local business editors and also national business editors that we like to keep in contact with.

Short Lead Press Release

Targeted to local media – this was designed to update and remind local reporters about the event. This release added details about vendors and events that weren’t confirmed in the Long Lead version. The goal of this release is to bring reporters out to the event to write follow-up stories.

Post Event Press Release

Targeted to reporters & media who covered this year’s event. This press release will be distributed about 30-60 days following the festival and will provide some details about the success of the event as well as dates and preview of next year’s event. The goal is to get additional media coverage as well as provide super long lead information for event calendar people.

Ultimately all these press releases also have the added benefit of generating one-way inbound links from online media as well as from the press releases themselves as they are hosted by online newswires.

Who do I want to See the News?

This is a two part question. First, consider what audience you want to see the news. Generally this would be the people who watch, read, or listen to the news. Second, consider what media those people watch, read, or listen to.

How do I Distribute the News?

Depending on the answer to the above questions, you have a variety of methods to distribute your press release. Each news piece is different. One example is that I usually send hard copies of press release and photos to national media when pitching gift guide items.

Is the News Time Sensitive?

This final question determines how you write your press release in response to the questions you answered above. It can also determine if you send out a press release, or simply pitch individual media on the story.

As a result, I decided to put together a series of four Search Engine Optimization workshops that I am titling, SEO QuickStart Workshops. These are private seminars designed for the small to mid-sized business that does their website content development in-house and isn’t able to afford or justify the expense of  full-blown SEO programs that we offer to our larger or higher web traffic clients.

SEO QuickStart Workshops:

1. Link Building Workshop
2. Keyword Research Workshop
3. Local Search / Geolocation Workshop
4. Google Health Check

Each workshop will last about an hour, where we will interview you, learn about your business, what your goals are etc. Then we’ll prepare a report for you including recommendations on how to improve your website and discuss that with you.

Call or email me today for more info:

James Hills

40 DuPage Ct. Suite 410
Elgin, IL, 60120

Phone: 630-233-8336

Email: info@marketinghelpnet.com